How to Select the Right Phlebotomy Technician Training Classes near Barton City Michigan
Selecting the ideal phlebotomy technician training near Barton City MI is a critical first step toward a fulfilling profession as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a daunting undertaking to investigate and compare each of the school options that are accessible to you. However it’s important that you complete your due diligence to ensure that you get a quality education. In reality, many prospective students begin the process by looking at 2 of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are location and cost. An additional factor you may consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to a local campus. We’ll review a bit more about online schools later in this article. What you need to keep in mind is that there is much more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than locating the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables including reputation and accreditation are also significant considerations and must be part of your selection process too. Toward that end, we will provide a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you select the right one for you. But before we do that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and then continue our discussion about online training.
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Should You Go to School to Become a Phlebotomy Tech?
Right out of the gate, few people probably know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The short answer is a medical professional whose job is to draw blood. We will provide more details later. So naturally anyone who decides to enter this profession must be comfortable with blood and needles. And if you are nervous in hospitals or other Barton City MI medical facilities, well this profession probably is not right for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomists routinely work around anxious people who hate needles or having their blood taken. And because many medical facilities are open 24 hours, you may be required to work weekends, evenings and even on holidays. But if you don’t mind working with the blood and needles, and if you enjoy helping people and are patient and compassionate, this may be the right profession for you.
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Phlebotomy Technician Work Description
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. Although that is their principal responsibility, there is actually far more to their job description. Before drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist must check that the tools being used are single use only and sterile. Following the collection, the sample has to be accurately labeled with the patient’s data. Afterward, paperwork has to be correctly completed in order to track the sample from the time of collection through the laboratory screening procedure. The phlebotomist then transports the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it may be screened for such things as infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. A number of phlebotomists in fact work in Barton City MI labs and are accountable for ensuring that samples are analyzed properly utilizing the highest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they can be called upon to train other phlebotomists in the drawing, delivery and follow-up process.
Where do Phlebotomists Work?
The quickest response is wherever patients are treated. Their work environments are numerous and diverse, including Barton City MI hospitals, medical clinics, nursing homes, or blood banks. They can be charged to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or toddlers to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomy techs, based on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting samples from a specific kind of patient. For instance, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would exclusively be collecting blood from older patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from mothers and newborns exclusively. On the other hand, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital setting would be collecting samples from a wide range of patients and would work with new patients each day.
Phlebotomy Training, Licensing and Certification
There are basically 2 kinds of programs that provide phlebotomy training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program usually takes less than a year to complete and provides a general education together with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the fastest means to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will incorporate training to become a phlebotomist. Offered at junior and community colleges, they usually take two years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are less available and as a 4 year program offer a more extensive background in lab sciences. Once you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to become certified. While not mandated in most states, many Barton City MI employers require certification before hiring technicians. A few of the main certifying agencies include:
- National Phlebotomy Association
- National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
- American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
- American Medical Technologists (AMT)
There are several states that do call for certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, such as California and Nevada. California and a handful of additional states even require licensing. So it’s important that you select a phlebotomist training program that not only offers a quality education, but also prepares you for any certification or licensing examinations that you elect or are required to take.
Phlebotomy Online Colleges
First, let’s dispel one potential misconception. You can’t get all of your phlebotomy training online. A good portion of the curriculum will be practical training and it will be conducted either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. Many courses also require completing an internship in order to graduate. But since the non-practical component of the training can be accessed online, it could be a more practical alternative for some Barton City MI students. As an added benefit, many online programs are less expensive than their on-campus competitors. And some costs, including those for textbooks or commuting, may be lowered as well. Just make certain that the online phlebotomist school you select is accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency (more on accreditation to follow). With both the extensive online and clinical training, you can receive a premium education with this means of learning. If you are dedicated enough to learn at home, then attaining your certificate or degree online may be the ideal option for you.
Questions to Ask Phlebotomist Programs
Since you now have a basic idea about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it’s time to start your due diligence process. You might have already picked the kind of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the college is relevant if you will be commuting from Barton City MI in addition to the tuition expense. Maybe you have decided to enroll in an accredited phlebotomist online program. All of these decisions are an important component of the procedure for selecting a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the sole considerations when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final decision.
Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Your State? As mentioned previously, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states call for certification, while some others mandate licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum amount of practical training performed prior to practicing as a phlebotomist. As a result, you may need to pass a State Board, certification or licensing examination. Therefore it’s extremely important to enroll in a phlebotomist program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Michigan or the state where you will be practicing and prepares you for all examinations you may have to take.
Is the College Accredited? The phlebotomy program and school you pick should be accredited by a reputable regional or national accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of advantages to graduating from an accredited program aside from an assurance of a quality education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to sit for a certification examination administered by any of the previously listed certifying organizations. Also, accreditation will help in getting loans or financial assistance, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Last, graduating from an accredited college can make you more desirable to prospective employers in the Barton City MI job market.
What is the Program’s Reputation? In numerous states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are those that are not of the highest quality. So in addition to accreditation, it’s important to check the reputations of all schools you are reviewing. You can begin by asking the schools for references from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job assistance program. You can research internet school rating and review services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. You can also check with several Barton City MI hospitals or clinics that you might have an interest in working for and see if they can provide any insights. As a closing thought, you can contact the Michigan school licensing authority and find out if any grievances have been submitted or if the colleges are in full compliance.
Is Plenty of Training Provided? To begin with, contact the state regulator where you will be working to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both classroom and practical. As a minimum, any phlebotomist program that you are looking at should provide no less than 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything less than these minimums might indicate that the program is not comprehensive enough to furnish adequate training.
Are Internships Included? Find out from the colleges you are looking at if they have an internship program in partnership with local medical facilities. They are the ideal way to get hands-on clinical training often not obtainable on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students develop contacts within the local Barton City MI healthcare community. And they look good on resumes also.
Is Job Placement Support Provided? Landing your first phlebotomist position will be a lot easier with the help of a job placement program. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a higher rate, signifying they place the majority of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the school has both an excellent reputation along with a large network of professional contacts within the Barton City MI medical community.
Are Classes Conveniently Scheduled? Finally, it’s important to verify that the ultimate program you select offers classes at times that will accommodate your busy lifestyle. This is particularly true if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Barton City MI, make certain they are available at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure it is an option as well. And if you have decided to attend online, with the clinical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And find out what the make-up policy is in case you have to miss any classes due to illness or emergencies.
Phlebotomist Requirements Barton City MI
Find Phlebotomy Associates Degrees Barton City Michigan
Making sure that you select the right phlebotomist training is an important first step toward your success in this gratifying healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that contribute toward the selection of a premium school. Phlebotomy training programs can be available in a wide range of academic institutes, including junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a wide range of courses in medical care and health sciences. Training program offerings may vary somewhat from state to state as each state has its own prerequisites when it concerns phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you must diligently screen and compare each program before making your final selection. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Find Phlebotomy Associates Degrees and to get more information regarding Free Info on Phlebotomist Training Near Me. However, by asking the questions that we have provided, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can select the ideal phlebotomist college for you. And with the proper education, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Barton City MI.
More Michigan Bloody Wonderful Locations
Barton City, Michigan
Barton City is an unincorporated community in Alcona County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated about 2 miles north of M-72 in the Huron National Forest on the shore of Jewel Lake. Most of the community is within Millen Township, although nearby settlement extends north into Hawes Township. The ZIP code, 48705, serves a much larger area including large portions of Millen, Hawes, and Mitchell Township.[3]
Barton City was the site of the main branch of the Potts Lumbering Company and the Loud Lumbering Company. First called "Mud Lake", because of its location on the shores of what is now known as Jewell Lake, a post office named Mud Lake was established on March 10, 1887, with George W. LaChapelle as postmaster. In 1912, two surveyors staying at the home of resident Frank Barton, laid out a town around the lake, sold lots, and named the town for Barton. The name of the post office was changed to Barton City on April 1, 1912.[4][5]
Barton City hosts an annual Labor Day Baseball Tournament every year, bringing in teams from all over the state of Michigan. The tournament helps raise money for MDA. Also, Barton City boasts "the biggest little Fourth in the North" - a two-day festival in the city park on Fourth of July weekend including a grease pole competition, sawdust pile, a flea market and a beer tent. The city also puts on a fireworks show on the evening of July 4 every year.
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